December 9 2022 - St. Juan Diego - God chooses the meek

 The story of St. Juan Diego is one of the well-known stories of the saints. The simple peasant Juan Diego was on his way to Mass on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception when he began to hear beautiful strains of music on the hill of Tepeyac in now Mexico City, and Our Lady herself appeared to him.

Our Lady told Juan Diego go to the Bishop and relate her message for a church to be built at the site where they were now standing. At first, Juan Diego insisted that he couldn’t do it: he was not one of the great or important persons, he was too insignificant to take such a message from the Mother of God to the bishop. 

The Virgin answered Juan Diego’s protests of unworthiness, saying, “Yes, you are the least of my children”, and that is precisely why you are being chosen. 

In choosing the lowly Juan Diego, Our Lady followed the heavenly tradition: numerous times in scripture God chooses the lowly, the barren, the tongue-tied, and the meek, to do his work. God sends the powerless to confront the powerful. As St. Paul wrote, “God uses the meek to confound the proud.”

In the work of God to which all of us are called, we are often tempted to put ourselves down; to think we are not good enough or holy enough to take up a particular way of service. “I’m too poor, too busy,  too uneducated, too old”. But in choosing Juan Diego, the least of her children, Mary shows that it is our excuses that are not good enough; if the poor uneducated Juan Diego can bear a message for God, so can we. 

At the time of Juan Diego, the Aztec culture was in full swing; 10s of thousands of human sacrifices were offered on the steps of the Aztec pyramids in honor of their pagan gods. Juan Diego, “the least” of Our Lady’s children, became an instrument of life, when he trusted her. 

An important Advent Lesson: to prepare our souls for the coming of Christ, we must never allow fear or excuses to keep us from the charity to which we are called. Rather, may we learn to trust God, that when we discern God’s Will, the inspiration of the holy spirit, or the gentle or not-so-gentle nudges from heaven, we follow them. And that will make a lot of difference to a lot of people, including ourselves…for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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As we await with longing the Advent of our Lord Jesus Christ, we raise up our prayers of petitions.

That Our Lady with her saints may protect the Church from all evil and bring about our conversion from sin.

For the grace to recognize the many ways God calls us to charitable service and the spread of the Gospel, and for the grace to accept God’s call.

That the Word of God may guide the minds of those who govern us to promote the common good according to His Holy Will.

That from the moment of conception all children will be preserved from bodily harm; for the overturning of unjust laws that permit the destruction of innocent life; and that the minds of all may be enlightened to know the dignity of every human life.  

For the sick, the suffering, the addicted, the imprisoned, the grieving and the dying. 

For all who have died, and for all the poor souls in purgatory, and for X. for whom this Mass is offered.

Almighty ever-living God, who bring salvation to all and desire that no one should perish, hear the prayers of your people and grant that the course of our world may be directed by your peaceful rule and your Church rejoice in tranquility and devotion. Through Christ our Lord.